Aditya Chopra told Anushka Sharma she wasn't good-looking before Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
Synopsis
Before Anushka Sharma became a Bollywood star, Aditya Chopra told her she wasn't the most good-looking girl — and she stopped her car to cry. Years later, she credits that brutal moment with shaping the work ethic that built her career.
Key Takeaways
Anushka Sharma revealed on 'Koffee With Karan' that Aditya Chopra told her she was 'not the most good-looking girl' early in her career.
The remark was made during a meeting at Yash Raj Films ' office ahead of her casting as Taani in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' ( 2008 ).
Anushka kept her composure in the room but stopped her car on the way home after breaking down in tears.
She admitted she had previously believed herself to be 'very, very good-looking' — a self-image she says changed after watching herself on screen for the first time during the shoot.
Her path to the film was also preceded by multiple rejections before she landed the debut role opposite Shah Rukh Khan .
Actress Anushka Sharma has revealed that filmmaker Aditya Chopra delivered a strikingly blunt assessment of her looks at the very start of her Bollywood journey — a moment she described as both crushing and ultimately defining. The disclosure came during her appearance on the chat show 'Koffee With Karan'.
What Aditya Chopra Said
Recounting the meeting at Yash Raj Films' office, Anushka quoted Chopra directly: 'Listen, I have a lot of belief in your talent. I think you are a very talented actress, but I don't think you are very good-looking. You're not the most good-looking girl, so you have to make sure that you work really hard.' The conversation took place ahead of her casting as Taani in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' opposite Shah Rukh Khan.
Her Reaction — Composed in the Room, Devastated on the Road
Anushka admitted she kept her composure inside the office, thanking Chopra and leaving without showing emotion. However, the reality hit hard once she was alone. 'At one point, I stopped the car because I realised I was crying. I was crying so much. My parents were not in town, so I called my mom and I said, 'I can't believe this is happening right now',' she recalled.
A Self-Image Shifted by the Screen
Before meeting Chopra, Anushka said she had carried quiet confidence about her appearance. 'I used to think I am very, very good-looking,' she said, adding in Hindi: 'Haan, haan, aise toh main bhi lag sakti hoon' — meaning she believed the right make-up and styling could make her look like any glamorous reference she had in mind. That changed the first time she watched herself on the monitor during the 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' shoot, dressed in bridal attire. 'I saw myself the first time on screen, and I was like, 'He is right. I am not that good-looking',' she said.
Rejections Before the Breakthrough
Anushka also revealed that her path to 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' was preceded by multiple rejections. The film, released in 2008, marked her debut and launched one of Bollywood's most successful careers, spanning critically acclaimed films such as 'NH 10', 'PK', 'Sultan', and 'Jab Harry Met Sejal'. Notably, Chopra's candour — however harsh — is widely credited within the industry for shaping a work ethic that prioritised craft over appearance.
Why the Anecdote Resonates
The story has resurfaced in fan conversations years after it first aired, underlining the lasting impact of the 'Koffee With Karan' platform as an archive of candid Bollywood confessions. It also speaks to a broader conversation in Indian cinema about the standards — often arbitrary and appearance-driven — that aspiring actors navigate. For Anushka, the lesson was less about looks and more about resilience: she went on to co-produce several films under her banner Clean Slate Filmz and remains one of the few Hindi film actresses to build a parallel career as a producer.
Point of View
Yet Anushka frames it as formative rather than damaging — which says as much about Bollywood's culture of gatekeeping as it does about her personal resilience. The incident is a reminder that the industry has long conflated physical appearance with commercial viability, even for talent that studios clearly believe in. What's striking is that Chopra simultaneously expressed confidence in her acting and doubt about her looks — a split assessment that reveals how dual and contradictory casting criteria can be. That Anushka went on to produce her own films suggests the lesson she actually took from that car ride wasn't about her face, but about ownership.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Aditya Chopra say to Anushka Sharma about her looks?
Aditya Chopra told Anushka Sharma at the start of her career that while he believed in her talent, he did not think she was 'very good-looking' and urged her to 'work really hard.' The remark was made before she was cast as Taani in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' (2008).
Where did Anushka Sharma reveal this story?
Anushka shared the anecdote during her appearance on the talk show 'Koffee With Karan', one of Bollywood's most prominent celebrity interview platforms. The disclosure has continued to circulate among fans long after it first aired.
How did Anushka Sharma react to Aditya Chopra's comment?
She maintained composure inside Chopra's office, said thank you, and left calmly. However, she later stopped her car on the road after realising she was crying, and called her mother for support.
Was 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' Anushka Sharma's debut film?
Yes, 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' (2008) was Anushka Sharma's Bollywood debut, in which she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan. She had faced several rejections before landing the role.
How did Aditya Chopra's comment change Anushka Sharma's self-perception?
Before meeting Chopra, Anushka believed herself to be very good-looking. That view shifted after she watched herself on the monitor during the 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' shoot for the first time, dressed in bridal attire, and acknowledged that Chopra's assessment had some basis.
